Topsfield wins role in new Brendan Fraser flick

Thursday

May 28, 2009 at 12:01 AMMay 28, 2009 at 3:08 AM

Hollywood will be coming to Topsfield in July for the filming of a new Brendan Fraser movie that will feature a cast of animals and possibly one of the town’s elementary schools. The film, called “Furry Vengeance,” will be shot primarily in Topsfield, a location manager said.

Brendan Lewis

Hollywood will be coming to Topsfield in July for the filming of a new Brendan Fraser movie that will feature a cast of animals and possibly one of the town’s elementary schools. The film, called “Furry Vengeance,” will be shot primarily in Topsfield, a location manager said Tuesday night at a selectmen’s meeting.

Benjamin Dewey, on behalf of the Summit Entertainment production, visited the board during a regular meeting to discuss the project and how it will affect the town. Dewey assured the board that movie’s management is trying to minimize the impact on day-to-day life in Topsfield.

“We don’t want to be in a situation where we are negatively affecting the ongoing activities in town,” said Dewey.

Dewey said that film producers will be searching locally for 50 to 100 extras for a scene that may be shot at either Proctor or Steward School for an Arbor Day festival at the end of the movie.

The movie that producers call a “green comedy” focuses around a developer (Fraser) who plans to build a housing development in a pristine Oregon forest are thwarted by the animal inhabitants.

With help from animal inspector Joel Larson and an animal handling team, the project will be bringing in a host of animals who will be housed at the Topsfield Fair. Dewey said the fairgrounds will be the headquarters for all of the filming done in the area.

Fair spokesman Sally O’Malley said she could offer little detail about any arrangement with the film company.

“The Topsfield Fair is still finalizing its agreement with the ‘movie planners,’” O’Malley wrote in an e-mail Wednesday.

Film crews hope to begin shooting in Topsfield in early July and will be spending 20 days out of the 35-day filming schedule in town. Dewey expects the work in Topsfield to be done by the first week in August.

Dewey said that increased traffic in Topsfield would be the largest factor affecting the town but added that the local economy should benefit.

“There is an increase flow of activity,” said Dewey about similar projects, such as one in Rockport last year, where the crew bought $3,000 worth of rain gear from a local shop.

While filming, Topsfield can expect a crew of roughly 100 to 125 people in the area.

Selectmen will still need to approve signs the film crews plan on using during the filming and Dewey will be working out further details with both the police and fire chief.

“Traffic is always a concern,” Dewey said.

The project will use police and fire details and private security as well, as Dewey added that the film’s producers need to protect the “stars” on the set.

“We can’t…tolerate the public in a closed set or a ‘hot’ set,” Dewey said.